Metallic collapsible life-boat.



, J. A. GONNOLLY, JR; METALLIC GOLLAPSIBLE LIFE BOAT.

APPLIOATION)IILBD MAR.4, 1914.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l THE NORRIS PETERS CO. FHOTO'LITHO WASHINGTON. D C

J. A. OONNOLLY, JR. METALLIC GOLLAPSIBLE LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.4, 1914.

1,121,481. Patented De0.15,1914.

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JOHN A. CONNOLLY, JR., 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

METALLIC COLLAPSIBLE LIFE-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application filed March 4, 1914. Serial No. 822,467.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. CoNNonLY, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metallic Collapsible Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

tions movably mounted at the edges of the hull and adapted to be extended to form the sides of the boat above the deck of the hull. Braces and supports of especial design are provided for holding the said side sections in extended relation and these braces and supports when not in use may be swung down in compact form so'that the boat when upon the deck of a vessel occupies but small space. 1

In the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1 is a plan view of the boat with parts broken away and parts in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the boatparts being shown in section and cut on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the middle portion of the boat out on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the intermediate portions of the side 7 sections of the boat showing one of the means emploved for supporting the same in extended position. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view out on the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal detailed sectional view out on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of oneof the side sections. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of another sup ort used upon theboat for holding the side sections in extended position with relation to each other.

The boat includes a hull indicated in general at 1 and which is preferablv formed from sheet metal. The plates of which the hull is composed mav' be secured in anv suitable or appropriate manner. Center and middle timbers 2 extend longitudinallv of the hull and constitute what is generallv known in the art, as back-bones. Frames 3 extend transverselv across the hull 1 and the end portions of the said frames are connected together by means of clamps and stringers 4 which extend the full length of the boat and which are curved to the general line of curvature of the side portions of the hull 1. A metal deck 5 is positioned upon, the upper edges of the back-bones 2 and the frames 3 and covered with wooden decking between the side tanks. Side seats 6 extending the full length of the side tanks 7 are located above the edges of the deck 5, these water-tight tanks 7 being located under the said side seats 6, and each watertight compartment in said tank is provided with a nipple indicated at 8 in Fig. 3. The said tanks are divided into water-tight compartments which are capable of supporting the entire boat if the hull proper is rendered useless. These water-tight compartments if desired are also adapted to be utilized for the storage of fuel, food or other necessities of a life saving nature. The spaces between the back-bones 2 and frames 3 are divided by partitions 9 into compartments 10 and these compartments are to be airtight. The said compartments will further contain cork (not shown) and consequently punctured when the boat is in use, so that the air may escape from the said compartments, the buoyancv of the cork contained therein will be suflicient to maintain the buoyant nature of the hull comprised-of the compartments in which the cork is located. The side seats 6 are connected together at intervals along the length of the boat-by cross seats 11. A stop or bead 12 extends around the outer side of the edge portion of the hull 1, and is' grooved as indicated at 12 for the purpose of receiving the edge of the lowermostsection 13 when the boat is collapsed.

Telescopic side sections 13, 14 and 15 are mounted at the edge of the hull 1 and these sections are preferably formed from plates of sheet metal. Each of the said sections is provided at its lower edge with an angularly disposed flange 16 and the flanges of the outermost sections bear against the outer surfaces of the next adjacent sections.

should any one of the compartments be Groove plates 17 are mounted on the under vceive studs 18 located on the outer top side of the next lower adjacent plate. Also studs sim lar to the studs 18 and indicated at 18' in Fig. 5 are mounted at the top side edges 5 of the hull 1 and-are received in the grooves of the groove plates 17 afiixed on the inner side of section 13. A gu'nwale 1.9 is supported at the upper edge of the section 15 and the grooved bead 12 is located in the path of movement of the lower ends of the sections 18, 14 and 15. 7

When the-parts of the boat arein set up or extended position as shown in Figs. 1

balls 22 adapted to enter socket members 23 fixed to the deck 5 of boat.

The cross seats of the boatwhich "are located preferably above-the side seats 6, are

provided with openings 24 and the saidfopenings are provided with pins 25. Braces 26 are pivotally connected with the gunwales 19 and are :provided with flexible spaced ends adapted to enter the openings 24. The ends 27 are provided with openings adapted to receive the pins 25 whereby the braces 26 are held in the inclined positions as shown in Fig.3 of the drawing, when the parts of the boat are set up or --extended. The said braces 26 when in the position described serve as means for bracing the intermediate portionsof the gunwalesf19 with relation to the seats 11 and6. When the gunwales 19 are lowered the ends 27 of the braces 26 are moved toward each other whereby the ends of the said braces are dis connected -from the ,pins 25 and the braces may be swung into approximately horizontal. position and =may extend along the seats '11 when the vgunwales were lowered.

Other braces 28 are :pivotally connected with the side seats 6 and the'said braces are provided at their free ends with hook extremities 29 adapted to -be engaged in socket members '30 mounted at the underside of the gunwales 1-9. The detailedstructu-re of thebraces 26 and their cooperating parts are best illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawing.

.Studs 31 are mounted, at the inner sides of the sections 14 and the braces carry at their-sides sockets indicated at 32 in Fig. 8, which are adapted to receive the studs 31 when the braces 28 are disposed approximately in vertical position and consequently the side sections '13, 1A and 15 vare held 1n proper relation with respect to each other when the parts of the boat are extendedor set up. The braces2-8 .may be p csitionedat desired intervals along the length of the boat and the said braces may also be';position to each other. I

tioned at the ends of the same. The :boat

may further be provided with suitable baili-ng pumps and means for stepping a mast if desired. Presuining that parts are in the positions as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the braces 21 are swung so that their ends 22 "are removed fromthe socket 23 and permits the struts or cross braces 20 to collapse with .sections 13, 11 and 15. The lower ends of the braces 26 are disconnected at the same time from the pins'25 as are also the upper ends of the braces 28 which are swung 1n a downward direction. The sections 13 14 and 15 will then descend by gravity along the side edges of the hull 1 until the said sections come in contact with the: grooved stop bead 12,.when they will assume a tolded position as indicated in dotted linesfin Fig. 5 of the drawing. Therefore, when the parts are folded or collapsed asyindicated,

the boat will occupy but :small space. To

set the parts up the operation above described is reversed and consequently when the boat is launched it may contain quite a nurn'berof people and willsafely ride on the surface of the water.

' Having described the invention "what is claimed :is:-

1. A boat comprising a hull, ftelescopic side section's located at the edges of the hull,

means for holding thelsections in extended positions with relation to each other and :bracing means adapted to be interposed be-- tween the sections atthe opposite sides of the hull. v H i 2. A boat comprising a hull, telescopic side sectionsmounted at the edges of the hull, stud and plate connection between the said side sections for limiting the relative movement thereof, and means for holding the sections .in extendedpositio'ns With-T613,-

in extended position with relation to each other and means for bracing {the sections against each other and transversely -o-f the hull. 2 I

p 4. A boat comprising a hull, telescopic side sections located at the edges (if the hull,

a brace pivotallyeonnected with one of the side sections and having resilient ends and pins mounted above the hull and adapted to be engaged the end portions of the said brace for holding the section's'in extended position with relation to each other. .120

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. I a

J OHN A. CONNOLLY, JR. Witnesses: n v a v "JAMES J.McG;owAn, E WIN A. McCoLLuM.

Copies of this patent maybe clitained foffive cents each, addressing theI""bomniissiciier"ef Pzite'nts.

7 Washington, .D. G. 

